Conversation on diversity

Conversation Project looks at racial diversity in Oregon

News contact: Laura Hancock, University Advancement, 541-962-3585
Source contact: Le Bailey, Center for Student Involvement, 541-962-3714

LA GRANDE, Ore. October 11, 2016 – Although census data shows Oregon’s population becoming more racially diverse, the perception persists that it is one of the whitest states in the nation.

Many Oregonians value racial diversity. What systems are in place to prevent the racial integration and equity many strive for, and what are individuals and communities doing to embrace the opportunities presented by a more diverse Oregon?

These questions and more are the focus of “Power, Privilege and Racial Diversity in Oregon,” a Conversation Project with visiting professor Emily Drew, who will be at Eastern Oregon University Monday, Oct. 17. The presentation starts at 3 p.m. in the Hoke Union Building, Room 339, and is free and open to the public. 

Drew is an associate professor of sociology at Willamette University, where she teaches courses on racism, race and ethnicity, urban sociology, mass media and social change. She earned her doctorate from Loyola University Chicago and has published articles in “Critical Studies in Media Communication,” “Television & New Media” and “Tourism & Cultural Change.”

The Conversation Project is sponsored by Oregon Humanities and hosted by EOU’s Multicultural Center, Center for Student Involvement, Student Council for Multicultural Affairs, Oregon Rural Action and Racial Justice in Eastern Oregon.

Through the Conversation Project, Oregon Humanities offers free programs that engage community members in thoughtful, challenging conversations about ideas critical to daily life and Oregon’s future.

For more information about this community discussion, contact EOU’s Multicultural Center at 541-962-3741 or mccenter@eou.edu.

> Download the poster: Power, Privilege and Racial Diversity in Oregon